Hopper agitating means



April 27; 1943.

W. B. ROGERS HOPPER AGITATING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet Original Filed Aug. 2, 1939 April 27, 1943.

w. B. ROGES HOPPER AGITATING MEANS Original Filed Aug. 2, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 27, 1943 J1] UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE g HOPPER. AGITATING MEANS William B. Rogers, Baltimore, Md.

Original application August 2, 1939, Serial No. 288,016. Divided and this application August 24, 1940, Serial No. 354,082

6 Claims. (01. 259-29) This invention is a novel agitating means parin air or gas into coal burners for domestic use;

and the present application is a division ofmy copending application Serial No. 288,016, filed August 2, 1939, now Patent No. 2,228,182 dated January 7, 1941. i

The principal object of my present invention is to provide hopper agitating means for feeding the proper amount of powdered coal, or other powdered material, as smoothly and evenly as possible into the air currents moving towards the burner, so that the coal will be mixed perfectly with the air, said hopper agitator vibrating the coal directly over the conveyor screw in the contracted bottom of the hopper to create a uniform flufiness in the mass of coal at this point, and also vibrating the inclined side walls of the hopper to cause the coal therein to slide down properly towards the screw, thereby eliminating tunnelling of the coal in the hopper around and adjacent the said screw.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one practical embodiment thereof, to enable others familiar with the art to adopt and use the same; and will summarize in the claims, the novel features of construction, and novel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation, partly in section, showing a hopper provided with my agitating means.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the hopper and adjacent parts.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the hopper and adjacent parts along the axis of the screw shaft.

As shown in Fig. 1, the apparatus comprises a skeleton frame having a base I provided with uprights 3 connected at their upper ends by top bars 4 at the sides and ends to form a rigid rectangular structure. The hopper is suspended within said frame and is coextensive with the area of the top thereof, and the hopper is contracted at its lower end. The hopper consists of end plates 5, and opposed inclined side plates 1 converging at their lower ends at angles of approximately 27 from the vertical, to meet the rounded bottom 6 of the hopper. Side plates 1 of the hopper are suspended at their upper ends on the top bars 4 of the frame, and are adapted to be jolted or shaken as hereinafter described to insure proper and even feeding of the pewdered fuel down into the rounded bottom 6 o the hopper.

From one end of bottom 6 of the hopper extends a tubular housing 2; and journaled in a relatively fixed bearing block 2a in the outer end of housing 2 and in a relatively fixed bearing 5a in the opposite end plate of the hopper is a shaft 8 carrying a conveyor screw 9 adapted to move the powdered fuel from the bottom 6 of the hopper through the housing 2, bearing block 2a in housing 2 being located beyond the outer end of screw 9, said powdered fuel passing into a throat l5, where it is forced past a spring pressed flap valve l6 (Fig. 1) into the air currents in pipe ll supplied by blower l8, said air currents with the fuel suspended therein being directed into the carburetor [9, from whence the .fuel mixture is delivered to the fuel burner.

Agitating means are provided to feed the proper amount of powdered coal as evenly as possible into the air currents in pipe I1. I have found that the major problem encountered in firing pulverized or finely divided coal, or other solid fuel, in small combustion chambers is to maintain an essentially smooth or even flow of coal and air into the combustion chamber so that the coal will be mixed perfectly with the primary air delivered by the fan or blower l8. In order to insure that the coal fed by screw 9 will be at an even rate, regardless of whether the hopper 5'! is full of powdered coal or is nearly empty, I have devised a novel hopper agitator which will not only vibrate the coal directly over the screw 9 to create a uniform flufliness in the mass of coal at this point, but will also vibrate the side walls I of the hopper, causing any coal therein to slide down properly towards the rounded bottom 6, thereby elimi-- nating tunnelling of the coal in the hopper 5'| around and adjacent the screw 9. Of the two above mentioned functions of the agitator, the most important by far is the conditioning of the coal directly above the screw 9. A number of. simple mechanical devices have heretofore been designed for shaking down the coal in the hopper, but my novel agitator is the only one found which I have found will in fact cause the screw 9 to feed a constant amount of powdered fuel from the hopper whether the hopper is fueled or is nearly empty.

As shown, the opposite side plates 1 of the hopper are connected together by metal straps ll, bolted or riveted to the plates; and secured to the centers of straps II is an axially disposed horizontal bar l2. Connected with horizontal bar [2 adjacent the straps II are vertically disposed shaker bars l3 which extend downwardly, within the hopper, their lower ends terminating above and adjacent the screw shaft 8. Portions of the screw 9 are omitted in way of the lower ends of shaker bars l3, and. lugs Ma: are provided on shaft 8, whereby as shaft 8 rotates the lugs Ma: will strike the lower ends of shaker bars l3 and vibrate or jolt the hopper side plates I, thereby positively shaking down the powdered fuel in the hopper into the rounded bottom '6 around screw 9.

The above construction is essential. in' order to maintain the necessary even flow of powderedcoal required for efficient operation of the apparatus, and same cannot be eliminated without impairing the operation to such extent that it may be rendered impractical.

While rotating, shaft 8 will simultaneously actuate the agitator I ll 2l3 so that the pulverized or finely divided coal, or other solid fuel in the hopper will be fed in a steady smooth or :even stream into the throat l5 regardless of whether the hopper is full or is nearly =ernpty,since the coal will be vibrated by the agitator not-only directly over and around the screw 9,, creating a uniform fiufiiness in the coal at this point, but the sides 1 of the hopper will also be vibrated to cause any 'coal in the hopper to slide down properly, eliminating tunnelling of the coal around screw 9.

freely; said hopper contracting atits lower end;

a rotatable shaft journaled in relatively fixed bearings and extending through said lower end; resilient members connected with the sides of the hopper transversely of the said shaft and terminating adjacent the shaft; and means on the shaft adapted to strike the members as the shaft rotates, whereby the sides of the hopper will be agitated.

2. In apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said members being rigidly connected with opposite sides of the hopper whereby said opposite sides of the hopper will be simultaneously agitated.

3. In apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said striking means comprising lugs on the shaft adapted to contact with the members.

4. In apparatus of the character specified, a frame; a hopper rloosely mounted at its top on the frame whereby the lower end thereof may vibrate freely; said hopper contracting towards its lower end; a shaft journaled in relatively fixed bearings and extending through said lower end of said hopper; a screwon-said shaft ;:'means'-for rotatin said shaft to convey material 'through said hopper; and means operated by said shaft for agitating the lower end of the hopper and its contents.

5. In apparatus asset forth in claim 4, said agitatingmeans comprisingresilient members fixedly mounted-on the sides of the hopper and terminating adjacent the shaft; and lugs on the shaft adapted to strike the members as the shaft 'rotates, whereby the sides of the hopper will be agitated. Y

6. In apparatusas set forth-in claim 4 said agitating means comprising resilient members rigid- .ly connecting opposite sides of the hopper and terminating adjacent the shaft; and lugs on the shaft adapted to strike and shift the members as the shaftrotates, whereby the said opposite sides of the hopper will be simultaneously agitated.

WILLIAM B. ROGERS. 

